The curtain rises Thursday on Kirksville High School's performance of the award-winning production, "The Sound of Music." The original Broadway production opened in 1959 and won five Tony Awards, and the iconic film starring Julie Andrews garnered five Oscars. Performances will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Matthew Middle School. Advance tickets are available at Edna Campbells and Beards Decorating. Tickets are also available at the door, but shows are expected to be at capacity.

A large cast

"Forty nuns, 13 monks, seven children, three French hens, two turtle doves, we have it all in this play," said KHS drama teacher Denise Clark. "We've got a huge cast."

Work on the performance began in mid-September, with rehearsals three nights a week to get down lyrics, lines and choreography. Since most of the students are also involved in athletics, clubs and more, the added challenge of any high school musical is timing and scheduling.

Teachers leading the performance are pleased with how the students have come together.

"I think we have a really strong cast. I think the leads are doing an exemplary job portraying their characters. They're being very responsible in learning their lines and being true to the character," said KHS choir teacher Rebecca Murphy

Some twists

While many are familiar with the film version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and the Kirksville play matches up closely with that adaptation, there will be at least a few new pieces for the audience to enjoy.

"We're also adding several [songs] that are in the theatre production," said junior Aaron Krusniak, who plays Captain von Trapp. "They might hear some new music they haven't heard before."